The air crackled with anticipation at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washington DC on Tuesday, as the nation held its breath waiting for the outcome of the presidential election. Amidst the flurry of activity, a moment of awkwardness unfolded involving Vice President Kamala Harris.
While participating in some last-minute phone banking, Harris, in what appeared to be a gaffe, revealed she wasn’t on a video call with a voter as intended. Instead, her iPhone’s camera app was open, leading to speculation and a social media frenzy.
Harris was seen chatting on a phone handed to her by a DNC staffer, saying, “How are you doing? Have you voted already?” After a pause, she added, “You did? Thank you!” The room erupted in cheers, prompting Harris to turn her phone so the person on the other end could better hear the applause. However, eagle-eyed observers noticed that her screen showed the camera app was open instead of a call, as reported by the New York Post.
Critics on X (formerly Twitter) quickly took to the platform, speculating that the phone call was staged. The incident added another layer of intrigue to an already tense election day.
Meanwhile, the nation anxiously awaited election results. Polls had closed in half of the United States, including four of the seven critical battleground states. Early results started to trickle in, revealing a tight race between Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.
In widely expected results, Trump was declared the winner in more than a half dozen states, including electoral vote-rich Florida and West Virginia, where Republicans also picked up a Senate seat. Harris took heavily Democratic states, including Massachusetts, Maryland, and Connecticut.
The focus now shifts to the remaining battleground states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada. The outcome of these states will determine the ultimate victor of the presidential election.
Exit polls released on Tuesday afternoon by a consortium of networks including NBC News, Fox News, and CNN, offered insights into the issues that mattered most to voters. Democracy and the economy emerged as the top concerns, with around 35% of voters citing democracy as their top issue, followed by 31% who chose the economy. Abortion, immigration, and foreign policy trailed behind, with 14%, 11%, and 4% of voters selecting them respectively.
The exit polls also revealed a gender gap in concerns. Abortion was the top issue for 19% of women versus just 8% of men.
The state of the economy also loomed large on voters’ minds. Almost half of all surveyed voters (48%) expressed deep concern about the cost of gas, while 51% worried about housing costs.
The election results remain uncertain, and the nation awaits the outcome with bated breath. The tight race and the unfolding events will continue to dominate headlines as voters anxiously await the final outcome of this historic election.
